


A Wing and a Prayer

by Wingsandcoffee



Category: Greek and Roman Mythology, Supernatural
Genre: Angels, Balthazar is obviously in love with Castiel, Cas is kind of an adorable clueless fluffball, Fluff, Human Castiel, M/M, Road Trips, Romance, Some Humor, Some angst, almost human Balthazar, alternate season 9, journey to save Heaven, more tags as we go along, quest to set the world to rights, the world is out of whack
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-25
Updated: 2016-04-16
Packaged: 2018-04-23 08:49:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4870696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wingsandcoffee/pseuds/Wingsandcoffee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Secretly alive after three years, Balthazar wonders what the falling angels thing was all about but tells himself he doesn't care. Then he finds a human Castiel picking up trash with other homeless men and realizes he has to stop running to help his dearest friend and only love. Together they search for a way to put Heaven and Earth back to rights.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Reunion

**Author's Note:**

> I hope ya'll like Calthazar. I don't have a regular update schedule, what with everything else I'm working on, so we'll see how the muses treat me. But I'm really excited about this story and have every intention of going through with it.

 

There were moments, several moments over the last three years when Balthazar had considered finding Castiel and letting him know ‘Hey, it wasn’t really me you killed, it was an illusion.’ But who was he kidding? Castiel didn’t need him, probably never did. That was assuming Castiel was even still alive and Balthazar had no way of knowing since he cut himself off from the Host. He was still an angel, barely; hell his wings had stopped working even before everyone else fell from the sky. And just what was up with that anyway?

No, he didn’t want to know. He didn’t care anymore. Why should he? But that didn’t stop him from praying to the Father that Castiel was in fact still alive, despite everything. He just couldn’t bring himself to hate his dearest friend. Castiel wasn’t himself at the end, having succumbed to an illness that could plague angels and had caused Michael’s downfall—megalomania.

It was different for angels than it was for humans; Megalomania was a devastating illness, twisting Grace and personality—there was rarely any coming back from it. But Balthazar hoped Castiel had overcome it and realized his mistakes.

Balthazar himself had been pretty much been constantly on the move the past three years. He hadn’t had to worry about money because his vessel had been independently wealthy (he himself was quite good at gambling) so he just spent his time wandering, rarely staying anywhere very long. He was driving through a small Colorado town and was paused at a stop sign outside a church when he spotted a group of homeless men picking up garbage. Balthazar had to do a double take because one of them looked like Castiel—his vessel anyway. He should keep driving but…he parked along the sidewalk and got out.

The man hadn’t seen him yet, which was good because he decided to observe him first. Balthazar may not be much of an angel anymore but he could still tell that there was no Grace in the man before him. Castiel had either left his vessel or lost his Grace. Before Balthazar could think what to do, the man turned and saw him. His eyes widened and he dropped the stick and sack he was holding. “Balthazar?” his breathing quickened.

“I can’t tell if you’re scared or surprised” Balthazar said softly “or both. Yes, it’s me. Are you Castiel or his vessel?”

He looked down and wringed his trembling hands together “Castiel.”

“What happened to you?”

“Less than I deserve. I should be dead. Are you real?”

“Look at me Castiel” when the other’s gaze lifted, Balthazar continued “I am real. Not much of an angel these days, even before the fallout the other day.”

“I killed you. I—I didn’t want to. I’ve regretted it every day.”

“You didn’t kill me Castiel. Don’t you remember when Gabriel taught us illusion?”

He sagged and broke down “Thank God. I am so sorry Balthazar” he cried “you…”

“Shhh” Balthazar pulled him into his arms, there was no going back to his lonely nomadic life now. Clearly he was meant to find Castiel “I forgive you. You were ill.”

Castiel clung to him tightly as if afraid he’d vanish. “I don’t deserve your forgiveness.”

“Shut up.”

“Clarence?” one of the other men came up to them “Are you okay?”

Castiel pulled away “Uh, yes, Dan, I’m all right. Balthazar is my friend.”

Balthazar felt his eyebrows rise “Clarence?”

“Yes” Castiel nodded “I, uh, need to continue my work.” He picked up the poker thing and sack.

Balthazar followed him “Are you homeless?”

“I suppose so.”

“How’d you become human?”

“It’s complicated.”

“Then come with me and we’ll talk about it.”

“I need to finish this first” Castiel put a piece of trash into the bag.

Balthazar scoffed “Who litters at a church? Cas?”

But Castiel seemed rather intent on something. They went through a gate and found two dead priests, obviously killed by an angel.

“Oh God” Balthazar crossed himself out of respect “Why…this doesn’t make sense.”

“They’re after me” Castiel said glumly “They know this is my fault.”

Balthazar took his arm “Come on, let’s just get out of here.”

…

Balthazar rented a room at the nearby Holiday Inn and Castiel told him about the past three years. He was in tears again by the end of it and Balthazar held him.

“It’s not your fault Cassie. It’s just sometimes you can be too trusting, don’t think things through. Even in the old days you followed orders without question.”

“An angel isn’t supposed to question.”

“If we weren’t then why was there such punishment for asking the wrong one? I never understood that.”

“Is that why you left?” Castiel pulled away and wiped his sleeve across this nose.

Balthazar handed him the box of tissues that came with the room. “There’s a reason humans invented these things. And yes, partly. The other reason, and I’m sorry to say this, but I feared your rule wouldn’t be much different that Michael’s.”

“You were right to fear so. I was worse.”

“I did hear a rumor or two. So, our dear brethren are after you. We need to get you warded. Probably with a tattoo. But in the meantime” he rummaged through his bad and pulled out a sharpie “This’ll take days to wash off. Where do you want it?”

Castiel lifted up his shirt and indicated his torso.

“All right, lay back. You hungry? We’ll get lunch when I’m done.”

“Okay.”

…

“We need to take you shopping as well” Balthazar said once they had their food.

Castiel’s brows crinkled in that adorably confused way “How do you have money?”

“Oh. My vessel’s independently wealthy. He doesn’t need it anymore.”

“Is he still with you?”

“No” Balthazar waved a nonchalant hand “He was horribly depressed when I first appeared to him. I asked to use his body in exchange for sending his soul to Heaven. He couldn’t have agreed faster. He had absolutely no reason to be so depressed, considering he was filthy rich but that’s the thing about mental illness, I suppose.”

“I didn’t know you could do that.”

“That’s because you never look for loopholes.”

“Perhaps I should start” Castiel looked forlornly down at his burger.

“Never too late.”

Balthazar reached across the table and patted his hand “Eat your burger, Cassie.”

Castiel looked up at him, eyes shining “I missed you, Balthazar.”

“I missed you too.”

…

Balthazar took him to a thrift store because Castiel insisted. “I don’t want you to spend too much money on me” he said.

“Well at least it’s a nice thrift store.” Balthazar mumbled looking around “Just get a couple of things for now, to tide you over till we get to wherever we’re going next. Oh hey” Balthazar spotted something tan in the coat rack. It was a trench coat “How ‘bout this?”

Castiel regarded it somewhat wistfully but then his expression hardened “No. I’m not him anymore.”

“Oh but it suits you.”

“No. This one” he picked up a back version.

Balthazar licked his lips “Try it on.”

Castiel did so and Balthazar nodded “Yes, I like it. Come on, let’s find something to go with it.”

He grabbed up some clothes, piled them into Castiel’s arms and showed him into the dressing room. “And show me how they look with the coat.”

A few minutes later Castiel stepped out, dressed in black slacks, a dark blue dress shirt tucked in, a black tie and the coat draped over him. It wall fit perfectly—mind Cas needed practice with the tie tying. Balthazar’s mouth dropped open and he gave and he gave a wolf whistle “And you are now the sexiest angel in the garrison.”

Castiel blushed and looked down “That was always your position.”

Balthazar smiled “I don’t deny it but right now, you’ve got me beat. Go on, try the next one.”

…

That evening as they readied for bed Balthazar glanced into the bathroom and saw Castiel squeeze toothpaste into his mouth.

“Uh, Cas, mate, that’s not how you brush your teeth.”

“It isn’t?”

“No, here” He picked up his own tooth brush “let me show you.”

…

Balthazar was awoken later that night to the sounds of distressed moaning coming from the bed next to him. Being the angel with the power to thwart distress it immediately made him alert. He scrambled over to Castiel who was writhing under the covers. He sat on the edge of the bed and shook Castiel “Cassie, wake up.”

Castiel gasped and grabbed at him “Balthazar?”

“It’s okay” Balthazar hugged him “you were having a bad dream.”

“I do not enjoy sleeping” Castiel sobbed.

“Takes getting used to” Balthazar rubbed his back soothingly and held him till he fell back asleep.

…

They were on the road early the next morning, too early for Castiel’s liking but Balthazar said something about ‘getting a jump on traffic’. Castiel may have hated sleeping but he hated waking up even more.

“Where are we going?” he asked, once he was finally more awake.

“To your idiot humans, of course.”

Castiel sighed but otherwise ignored the insult “Why are we going to Sam and Dean?”

“They’re your friends, aren’t they?”

“They are. But with the angels after me and powerless as I am, I am a danger to them. I do not wish to put them in harm’s way.”

“Uh, aren’t they always in harm’s way, whether you’re with them or not? They’re always in danger, I don’t see how you’d make any difference.”

“I’m human, Balthazar.”

“So?”

“I can’t protect them.”

Balthazar sighed heavily “Castiel, darling, protecting them is not your job. You weren’t even supposed to hang around Dean after telling him you were the one who pulled him out of Hell. Anyway, if they really are your friends, you being human isn’t gonna matter to them.”

“I suppose that’s true.”

“And you’re supposed to understand humans better than me.”

“I thought I did. But it seems I only keep learning.”

“I think that’s what humans are supposed to do. But look” he switched lanes “if you don’t wanna go to them just yet it can wait. We’ll go somewhere else.”

“Where?”

“Wherever the road takes us.” He turned on the radio and smiled at the music that was playing “How fitting. Listen to this, Cassie.” He turned up the volume.

_Look at what's happened to me_  
I can't believe it myself  
Suddenly I'm up on top of the world  
It should've been somebody else  
  
Believe it or not I'm walking on air  
I never thought I could feel so free  
Flying away on a wing and a prayer, who could it be?  
Believe it or not it's just me  
  
Just like the light of a new day  
It hit me from out of the blue  
Breaking me out of the spell I was in  
Making all of my wishes come true  
  
Believe it or not I'm walking on air  
I never thought I could feel so free  
Flying away on a wing and a prayer, who could it be?  
Believe it or not it's just me  
  
This is too good to be true  
Look at me, fallin' for you  
  
Believe it or not  
Believe it or not  
Believe it or not  
Believe it or not  
  
Believe it or not I'm walking on air  
I never thought I could feel so free  
Flying away on a wing and a prayer, who could it be?  
Believe it or not it's just me  
  
Believe it or not I'm walking on air  
I never thought I could feel so free  
Flying away on a wing and a prayer, who could it be?  
Believe it or not it's just me  
  
Believe it or not I'm walking on air  
I never thought I could feel so free  
Flying away on a wing and a prayer, who could it be?  
Believe it or not it's just me


	2. Conversations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Balthazar decided to go to New Orleans, mainly because that was where he was headed anyway but also because the city had a good selection of magical supplies that might come in handy. They were in Oklahoma before Balthazar decided to stop for lunch.

Balthazar decided to go to New Orleans, mainly because that was where he was headed anyway but also because the city had a good selection of magical supplies that might come in handy. They were in Oklahoma before Balthazar decided to stop for lunch.

He pulled into a Sonic’s Drive In and shook Cas awake—he’d fallen asleep about an hour ago. “Hey, Cas, time for lunch.”

Cas yawned “Already? Where are we?”

“Oklahoma. You know, I was thinking, you might wanna call the Winchesters, let them know you’re okay. I expect they’re worried about you.”

Castiel squinted at him “Why do you care? You don’t even like them.”

“No I don’t. But you do. And because I care about you and you care about them then I care about them. That’s how friendship works.”

Cas relaxed “All right.”

Balthazar handed him his cell phone “You know the number?”

“Yes” Cas dialed and put the phone to his ear. After a moment he said “Hello Dean.”

Balthazar pretended to study the menu while he listened to Castiel’s side of the conversation.

“I’m all right. How’s Sam? That’s good, I told you Ezekiel would help. No, Dean I don’t think that would be a good idea. With the angels after me, I don’t want you and Sam in danger. I have help. It seems Balthazar’s not dead after all. Oh, uh…”

That made Balthazar look back at him “You did tell him you killed me, didn’t you?”

Castiel’s brows furrowed “You told me it wasn’t you.”

“It wasn’t but you didn’t know that now did you?”

“I didn’t mean to” Cas said into the phone “It, uh, was…”

“Oh give me that” Balthazar snatched the phone out of his hand “Hello Dean.”

Dean sighed exasperatedly “Balthazar. Faked your own death, huh?”

“You could say that. Look, Cas was ill. I had a feeling he wouldn’t be happy once he found out I helped you. So I planned ahead.”

“What d’you mean ill?”

“You know he wasn’t himself.”

“Yeah” Dean sighed “I know. He okay?”

“He will be.”

“Why don’t you come to the bunker?”

“I think Cas needs some time to get used to things. We’ll be along eventually, don’t worry. I’ll look after him. I’ll give you back to Cas now.” He handed the phone back to a glaring Castiel.

Balthazar smiled “Back in a tick. I’m gonna run to the loo.”

…

Cas ordered a bacon cheeseburger but otherwise didn’t say anything. In fact he didn’t say anything till they were back on the road for another hour.

“Can we pull over? I have to urinate.”

“So we’re talking now?” Balthazar sighed “There should be a rest stop coming up. Can you hold it a few minutes?”

“Yes.”

“You should have gone at Sonic’s. I did ask you.”

“I didn’t have to go then.”

“Are you angry with me?” Balthazar spotted the exit for the rest stop and got on it.

Cas took a breath “No. I’m just tired.”

“What did you and Dean talk about after I gave the phone back?”

“He still doesn’t like you.”

Balthazar rolled his eyes “Does he like any angel aside from you?”

Cas didn’t answer but he looked like he was thinking about it. He got out as soon as Balthazar parked the car and headed for the bathroom—he must have really had to go. Balthazar decided to scope out the vending machines while he waited.

Yeah, no, everything was either sold out or looked disgusting.

“Anna.” Castiel walked up to him.

“Beg pardon?”

“I believe Dean liked Anna.”

Balthazar scoffed “Any angel he _didn’t_ bang?”

“He didn’t “bang”” he used honest to God air quotes “any other angel. That I am aware of.”

Balthazar stared at him “Not even you?”

Castiel squinted and titled his head “I don’t understand. Why would you ask that?”

“You honestly have no idea what people say about you two, do you?”

“What do they say?”

“It doesn’t matter. Let’s go. I hope you like Cajun food because we’re not stopping till we get to New Orleans.”

…

“What about dinner?” Cas asked after a while.

“What?”

“Are we going to stop for dinner?”

“Oh. Well other than that we won’t be stopping till New Orleans.”

“Why New Orleans?”

“Because it’s fun. What’s the matter, don’t like Louisiana?”

“I was in a hospital there once.”

“I know. I can still sense some thoughts you know. Come on, who’s this Cajun you don’t like? You can tell me.”

“It doesn’t matter, he’s back in Purgatory.”

“ _Back_ in Purgatory? Oh, Cassie, dear, this I have got to hear.”

Castiel told him about his and Dean’s time in Purgatory and about Benny. Balthazar pulled to the side of the road because he was laughing so much.

“So let me get this straight, love” he clutched his stomach “you don’t like Louisiana because your BFF’s vampire boyfriend is from there? And you don’t like him?”

“I didn’t say that. And they weren’t…”

“How do you know? How long were you off running on your own before Dean and Benny found you?”

Castiel blinked and stared straight ahead. That might have been a good point. But…He shook his head “I doubt there was time. In Purgatory, all you had time to do was run and fight.”

“There’s always time to fall in love, Castiel” Balthazar said softly, giving Castiel a strange expression.

“Perhaps” Cas sighed “but Dean sent Benny back to Purgatory.”

“To save his brother. And you said that Benny decided to stay in Purgatory, which implies Dean expected Sam to bring him back.”

“I know they were close. I wasn’t there for Dean. Benny was.”

“Ah ha. It’s not that you don’t like Benny but that you’re angry at yourself. Dean’s allowed to have other friends, you know.”

“I know that.”

“I’d wager Benny stayed in Purgatory because he knew he could never have Dean, that Dean would always put his brother first.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“I didn’t say there was and Benny wouldn’t have agreed to be killed if he thought so. Of course, you should put your sibling before your spouse. But you should also find time to spend with your spouse. And I watch too much daytime TV and Hallmark movies, help me.”

“I don’t understand. Why are we having this conversation?”

“I haven’t the foggiest idea. But listen, you’ll like New Orleans because you’ll be with me. I, my dear, am going to show you how to have fun.”

…

They got dinner at Burger King and finally made it to New Orleans around two in the morning. Balthazar checked them into a hotel in the French Quarter, the Bourbon Orleans.

“This looks expensive” Castiel commented when they entered their room.

Balthazar threw his bag on one of the beds “Don’t worry about it, Cassie. You have been spending too much time around those cheapskate plaid monkeys.”

Castiel sat down on the other bed “I wish you’d stop insulting them. They are my friends. You said you cared about them.”

“Yeah, all right” Balthazar pulled his shirt off over his head “Let’s get some sleep. I have an itinerary of things for us to do tomorrow.”

Castiel found himself gazing at Balthazar’s bare chest.

Balthazar smirked “Like what you see Cassie?”

Castiel blinked “What?”

Balthazar chuckled and dug out his toiletries from his duffle “I’m gonna brush my teeth. You get the bathroom next.”

…

He was soaring through the air, wings spread wide and glittering in the sun. Castiel loved flying, if he was honest it was his favorite thing about being an angel. And he knew he shouldn’t, but he prided himself on his wings, shiny black dashed with starlight.

Suddenly his wings became hot, burning, they were on fire. Each feather fell off one by one and he spiraled towards the Earth.

He woke up, gasping for breath, drenched in cold sweat and tangled in sheets.

“Castiel?” Balthazar was suddenly by his bedside, hand on his shoulder “You all right?”

“Nightmare” Castiel grabbed at Balthazar’s hand “I was falling.”

Balthazar pulled him into a hug “I’m sorry Cassie.”

“It’s cold in here.”

“Yeah, I think it’s haunted. Of course, most of New Orleans is. It’s nothing to worry about.”

“What kind of spirits haunt this place?”

“Nuns mostly, it used to be a convent. I think there are a few other types of ghosts as well. You can ask a bell hop in the morning or something.”

“Why did they turn a convent into a hotel?”

“Well before that, it was a ball room or something. You gonna be okay?”

“Can you stay with me? I slept better last night with you next to me.”

“Scoot over. I’ll keep the bad dreams away.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know if you liked this chapter! Suggestions are always welcome too.


	3. Invitation to a Quest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The man grinned and his eyes flashed with a spark of power “Name’s Hermes and you,” he nodded at Cas “are a hard angel to find, Castiel.”

Balthazar took a deep breath when they left the hotel the next morning “Beautiful day, isn’t it Cassie?”

Cas just looked at him. It seemed he was a bit of a grump in the mornings, even after a cup of coffee. Well, a brisk walk around the French Quarter ought to perk him up.

Balthazar slung an arm over his shoulder “Would you like some more coffee, darling? There’s a lovely little café just down the street.”

Cas waved an arm in a gesture that clearly said ‘lead the way’. Balthazar had a feeling that after a few more days of being human, Cas would be mumbling under his breath about “overly cheery morning-people.” Possibly with more colorful metaphors. Castiel always did tend to swear when he was particularly upset.

“You simply must try the beignets” Balthazar told him once they were seated at their table. Off Cas’s glare, Balthazar told the waitress “Two coffees, darling and an order of beignets.” Once she was gone, he sighed and said to Cas “I do wish you’d cheer up.”

“Why should I? Tell me, what reason do I have to cheer up?”

“What? I’m not reason enough” Balthazar grinned cheekily.

Cas wrung his hands together and looked up at him, blue eyes over-bright “You’re right. I apologize.”

“You know what I hate about that word?” an athletic, young-looking man sat down at their table. He had russet curls and golden eyes and seemed to be of Mediterranean origin—and Balthazar really needed to stop reading romance novels. _Russet_? Really? “The first two syllables; Apollo never apologized for anything day in his life.”

“Excuse me” Balthazar said “and you would be?”

The man grinned and his eyes flashed with a spark of power “Name’s Hermes and you,” he nodded at Cas “are a hard angel to find, Castiel.”

Balthazar shot to his feet “What do you want with him?”

“I’m not an angel anymore” Cas said.

Hermes shrugged “Eh, once an angel, always an angel. Grace or not. And please sit down, Balthazar.” Hermes waved a hand “I’m not here to hurt anyone, I swear by Gaia. I’ll even pay your bill.”

Balthazar glared down at him “You’ll understand that I have trouble believing the word of a Pagan.”

“Okay, that’s offensive and down-right racist. I have nothing against you featherbrains. Gabriel was a great friend—Divine Messengers Club and everything. Who do you think helped him set up stakes in Asgard?”

Cas squinted “You’re responsible for Gabriel leaving Heaven?”

“Ugh, Gaia no. It was all his idea. I just helped him set things up. I even tried to talk him out of it. Mind, I didn’t try very hard.” Hermes looked up at Balthazar “You gonna sit down or am I gonna make you? With your powers as depleted as they are, I think I can.”

Balthazar huffed and returned to his seat “What do you want?”

Hermes interlaced his fingers and cracked them “Well,” he paused when the waitress appeared with the coffee and beignets. Once she was gone again, he continued “as I’m sure you both can imagine just how out of sorts the Norse got three years ago after Odin and Baldur were killed and Loki was yanked out of the angel closet. Well, times that by ten and you have the Olympians after Zeus was killed a few months back.”

“Zeus is dead?” Balthazar asked.

“Yep. Your buddies, the Winchesters were involved.”

“Not surprising and they’re not _my_ buddies. They belong to him” he pointed at Cas.

“Technically Artemis via Prometheus killed him but she wouldn’t have if the Winchesters had left well enough alone. But I understand that’s impossible for those with a severe savior complex.”

Balthazar laughed “They do, don’t they?”

“I don’t understand,” Cas said “what’s a savior complex and why do you think Sam and Dean have one?”

“It’s a psychological thing that makes people feel the need to constantly save other people” Hermes explained “Even sacrificing their own needs to help them.”

After a moment Cas nodded thoughtfully “Yes, I suppose that could apply to them. But what does this have to do with us, Hermes? Why did you seek us out?”

Hermes cracked his fingers again “In 2008 Dean Winchester went to Hell and broke the First Seal, starting the Domino effect that led to the Apocalypse. Well, it shouldn’t have started so soon. It wasn’t set to go down for a very long time yet. But the archangels intentionally got things going earlier than planned.”

“How do you know this?”

“I know everything. But for this explanation I think we should go somewhere that’s else.”

…

Hermes led them to a battered blue VW bus. “Strictly speaking I can still fly and teleport and everything, I just shouldn’t. Attracts too much attention.”

“What do you mean?” Cas asked.

Hermes took a breath “Meta-douche has been capturing pagan gods, one by one and doing who knows what to them. I’m on the run. With angels stranded on Earth and gods being taken down, the world is even more out of whack than it was. Something needs to be done.”

…

Hermes pulled onto the highway “Where we’re going is a little bit outside the city. Don’t worry, I’m not taking you out into the swamp to kill you.”

Castiel and Balthazar were sitting in the bus’s middle bench seat. “Good to know” Balthazar muttered.

“When you said “Meta-douche”” Cas began “did you mean…?”

“Don’t say his name!” Hermes cut him off “He’ll hear you. He is now to be known as Meta-douche.”

“Fine with me” Balthazar said, “considering he is.”

“We almost went with “Mega-dick” but figured that sounded like a compliment.”

“Who’s we?” Castiel asked.

“You fellas familiar with an angel named Harahel?”

“The angel of libraries” Castiel and Balthazar said as one. Castiel elaborated “Harahel fell not long after Anael.”

“Correct. She was reborn as a human. For some reason her parents named her Angel of all things. She goes by her human middle name, Michaela.”

Balthazar scoffed “Angel Michaela, really?”

Hermes shrugged “I didn’t name her. Anyway, as the angel of libraries and despite being human she knows a thing or two about how the Apocalypse. Why do you think she jumped ship? We’re also working with a white witch, name of Lizzy Lafitte. Just the three of us, five if you two decide to join the cause.”

Castiel swallowed and licked his lips “We’ll have to know more first.” He leaned over and whispered to Balthazar “Was that the right thing to say?”

Balthazar patted his thigh “Yes darling.”

Hermes grinned at them through the rear-view mirror “You two are awfully cute.”

“Thank you” Castiel said “but what does that have to do with anything? Now is not the time to be worrying about petty compliments.”

Balthazar slapped his hand to his forehead.

“Ya know,” Hermes said “if we were anime there’d be at least two giant sweat drops overhead.”

Castiel squinted “I don’t understand that reference.”

Hermes sighed “Never mind, angel cakes. Ten more minutes and we’ll be at our destination.”

…

Hermes didn’t think Balthazar and Castiel were officially were a couple, not as adorably clueless as Castiel seemed to be (Hermes had been watching them since the afternoon before, not that he was about to tell them that).

He pulled off onto an old dirt road that the VW just barely fit on and parked in front of an abandoned hunting cabin. Well, it was abandoned till he and the girls moved in, anyway. Lizzy claimed it used to belong to her family but Hermes hadn’t bothered finding any evidence to support that yet. It could be true, he supposed; Lizzy was a witch and therefore immortal unless she was killed and the age of the cabin did match her actual age so…

“We’re here fellas” he announced as he shut off the engine. “I think Lizzy’s making gumbo if you’re hungry. I know I didn’t let you have much breakfast. Sorry about that.”

“Benny used to talk about gumbo” Castiel said offhandly.

“Lizzy had a brother named Benny” Hermes opened his door and then opened the door for the other two (he was polite like that) “got himself turned into a vampire and then dead.”

“Wait” Castiel crawled out of the car “did you say this witch’s last name was Lafitte?”

“Sure did, why?”

“I knew Benny. When Dean and I were in Purgatory. He didn’t mention anything about a witch sister.”

“I don’t think she ever told him so, why would he?” Hermes shrugged “Come on, the girls are inside.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Interesting. Benny's sister is a good witch and helping to set the world to rights. I wonder if this means we might see Benny again sometime. We'll have to see. Would you like to see Benny again?


	4. The Team

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “The first thing we need to do to set things right” Hermes said when they all had a bowl of gumbo in front of them “is to resurrect Gabriel.”
> 
> “How?” Balthazar and Castiel chimed in unison.
> 
> “We’ll need the Archangel Tablet for starters” Michaela said.
> 
> “There’s an Archangel Tablet?”
> 
> “Yes, there’s a tablet for everything. And actually, we’re gonna need the Prophet Kevin Tran. He’s the only one who’ll be able to locate all the tablets.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry, it's been so long. I had this chapter done ages ago but other fics distracted me. I am working on this story again and am almost halfway done with the next chapter. The updates just won't be as quick as some of my other fics. I'm sorry about that.

“Balthazar! Castiel!” Michaela squealed as they walked through the door “It’s so great to see you again!” She hugged them both and kissed their cheeks.

Balthazar chuckled and kissed her back “Harahel, we’ve missed you back home.”

“Oh please, call me Michaela. Castiel, you look like a deer in headlights, are you okay?”

Castiel blinked and titled his head “I do not resemble a deer.”

“It’s an expression” Hermes told him.

Balthazar rolled his eyes “Cas just isn’t used to so much affection.”

 “Well, get used to it, sugar” Lizzy came from around the partition that separated the kitchen from the front room. She wore an apron and carried a ladle “we’re an affectionate bunch here. How ya’ll doing?”

“Quite well” Balthazar said “what is that delightful smell?”

“Shrimp gumbo, it’s almost ready. It’s an old family recipe.”

“From your grandmother, correct?” Castiel asked.

Lizzy squinted curiously “Yeah, how’d you know?”

“Castiel met your brother in Purgatory” Hermes put an arm around her and kissed her cheek.

“Is that so? How was he?”

“He was the friendliest vampire I’ve come across” Castiel said.

“Sit down everyone” Hermes indicated the table “we’ve got some discussing to do.”

…

“The first thing we need to do to set things right” Hermes said when they all had a bowl of gumbo in front of them “is to resurrect Gabriel.”

“How?” Balthazar and Castiel chimed in unison.

“We’ll need the Archangel Tablet for starters” Michaela said.

“There’s an _Archangel_ Tablet?”

“Yes, there’s a tablet for everything. And actually, we’re gonna need the Prophet Kevin Tran. He’s the only one who’ll be able to locate all the tablets.”

Castiel tilted his head “How can he do that?”

“A map of all Creation, a drop of his blood and a few words. It’s very simple really.”

“Okay” Balthazar said “So say we do that and bring Gabriel back, what then? How to we fix all this madness?”

Hermes leaned back in his chair “I’m not sure, exactly. We’ve only planned as far as bringing Gabriel back. We’ll go from there.”

“Joshua” Castiel said suddenly “we should find Joshua. He’s been communicating with God ever since Gabriel left Heaven. If anyone knows anything, it should be Joshua.”

“Maybe” Balthazar agreed “but where would he be?”

“I don’t know.”

“We should go to the Prophet first” Michaela said “Once we bring Gabriel back, he should be at full power and then he’ll be able to find anyone.”

“So” Lizzie interlaced her fingers together “I’m guessing you two know where the Prophet is.”

“I need to call Dean about this” Castiel stood up “Balthazar, may I use your cell phone?”

…

Castiel stepped outside for some privacy.

“Cas?” Dean answered the phone “This better be you.”

“Yes. Hello Dean.”

“Hey, man what’s up? You and Balthazar heading this way?”

“Perhaps. I’d like to talk to you about it first.”

“You’re more than welcome, bud.”

“Yes Dean and thank you but…Balthazar and I are not alone.”

“What do you mean?”

Castiel took a breath, for several moments before calling Dean he’d thought of how to say this “Dean, did Benny ever tell you about his sister?”

Dean was quiet for a moment “He said he had one. Why?”

“She’s a white witch, Balthazar and I met her today.”

“A white witch?”

“Yes, Dean, that means she’s good.”

“No such thing as good witches.”

“The same as there’s no such thing as good vampires?”

Dean’s glare was almost palpable through the phone “Benny’s an exception.”

“Then why can’t his sister be? Dean, Lizzie Lafitte is working with a fallen angel and a pagan god who was friends with Gabriel.” Perhaps that wasn’t the best thing to say to Dean.

Dean gave a dry laugh “Yeah, like that’s supposed to convince me.”

“Dean” Castiel sighed “Harahel fell not long after Anna did. She was the angel of libraries and Hermes is an Olympian. He’s not like the other gods you’ve met.”

“Why are you hanging with these people?”

“They have a plan to set things right, return the angels to Heaven.”

Ah, there was Dean’s thoughtful silence. “How?”

“Well, first we would need the Archangel Tablet…”

“The what?”

“Yes and then we would resurrect Gabriel.”

Dean made a choking sound “What for?”

“Because we need an archangel to lead Heaven. It’s either him or we bring back Raphael or free Michael from the cage.”

“Yeah, fine, Gabriel’s good.”

“I thought you might agree. I also thought you might appreciate that I call you first before showing up at the Bunker with everyone in tow.”

After a moment Dean said “Yeah, Cas, yeah I do. Thanks. You know, Kevin hasn’t said anything about an Archangel Tablet.”

That was a good point. Perhaps it was the same as the Angel Tablet “I’ll ask Harahel. May we come?”

“Yeah, yeah all right. Call when you’re on the way.”

“I will Dean, thank you.”

…

Michaela looked up from a newspaper she was reading “Prophets don’t know everything right away. Besides the Archangel Tablet wasn’t written by Meta-douche, it was written by the Big Four. Meta-Douche might not even know about it.”

“Then how do you?” Balthazar asked.

“I worked in the library, dummy. Librarians know everything. That and I overheard Raphael and Michael talking about it one day.”

“What exactly does Dean have against witches?” Lizzie was making sandwiches for the trip.

Hermes was standing on his head for some reason “Sudden change of subject but good question. Cas, perhaps you know the answer.”

Cas sat down at the table and picked up a roll “Dean hasn’t had the best experience with witches but I think he’s only met evil ones.”

“Doesn’t he know there’s good witches out there?”

“I don’t think he believes in them.”

“Hunters” Lizzie said it like a curse word.

“Anyway” Hermes jumped to his feet “we leave at first light in the morning. What do we wanna do for the rest of the day? Swamp tour anyone? We can play ‘Spot the Snake’.”

Balthazar snorted out his coffee “That sounds so dirty. In fact, I’m pretty sure there’s a Casa Erotica movie by that name.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know if you liked this chapter. And just as a reminder, this story will be Calthazar but of course their romance won't be the only focus, as they have an important mission to accomplish.

**Author's Note:**

> The song is Believe It Or Not from the show The Greatest American Hero and it was written by, I believe Mike Post and maybe a couple other guys.  
> Please let me know if you like this beginning.


End file.
